Black-faced spoonbills in the wetland
Ecology
By Yang Yiwen
Recently, seven black-faced spoonbills were spotted in the Qiantang Greater Bay Area Wetland Park, resting and foraging in the marshes.
The black-faced spoonbill, with its long, flat, spoon-shaped beak resembling the Chinese musical instrument pipa, is often referred to as the “black-faced angel” or the “black-faced dancer”. Currently, there are only 4,000 black-faced spoonbills in the world, making it one of the globally endangered species. It is also listed among the endangered and rare waterfowl in China, second only to the crested ibis, a national first-class protected animal.
The Qiantang Greater Bay Area Wetland Park, the core part of the eastern Hangzhou ecological belt, is located in the estuarine area of the Qiantang River. As the largest riverine mudflat wetland in Hangzhou, the Qiantang Greater Bay Area Wetland has a shoreline of more than 20 kilometers and a total area of 101 square kilometers. Due to its favorable climate and rich aquatic resources, it is also an important stopover on the East Asia-Australia bird migration route, with more than 140 species of migratory birds observed and recorded in the area.
In recent years, thanks to the combined efforts of public security, social welfare organizations, and all walks of life, the water quality in the wetland has been significantly improved, and the protection of the environment and wildlife has been strengthened, making this area a “paradise for herons”. Black-faced spoonbills, Chinese sparrowhawks, black-winged kites, red-footed falcons, and other protected birds have visited the wetland. In 2024, the Qiantang Greater Bay Area Wetland was awarded the second batch of “Bird-watching Resorts of Zhejiang”.
At present, the first phase of the park has been completed, and the start-up section is nearing its official opening.